Pharrell Williams, a musician, composer, and fashion designer, was unexpectedly chosen on Tuesday to take over as the next creative director of Vuitton men in place of the unexpected passing of Virgil Abloh in November 2021.
“Louis Vuitton is pleased to announce Pharrell Williams as creative director for men with immediate effect,” the brand announced in a statement.
In June, during the upcoming men’s ready-to-wear week in Paris, his debut line will be revealed.
The 49-year-old superstar’s appointment is in keeping with the heritage of Virgil Abloh, a jack-of-all-trades artist who rose to fame among millennials for successfully fusing luxury and streetwear. His name had not been mentioned among the potential successors.
An approach that Pharrell Williams takes, who shares a love of skating, the arts, and music with the designer who passed away at the age of 41 from cancer.
“Pharrell Williams is a visionary whose creative worlds span from music to art to fashion – establishing himself as a universal cultural icon over the past 20 years. His ability to break down the boundaries between the different worlds he explores fits naturally with Louis Vuitton’s cultural dimension, reinforcing its values of innovation, pioneering spirit and entrepreneurship,” the company said.
“I am happy to see Pharrell back at the house, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008,” said Pietro Beccari, CEO of Louis Vuitton quoted in the statement, referring to glasses or jewelry designed by Pharrell Williams for the French luxury house.
“His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton into a new and exciting chapter,” he stressed.